African telecom leaders renew call to scrap taxes on smartphones

The push to eliminate taxes on low-cost smartphones gained fresh momentum at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Kigali, where African telecom operators and government leaders warned that high device costs remain a major obstacle to digital inclusion across the continent.

• African mobile leaders at MWC Kigali renewed calls to remove taxes on smartphones priced below $100 to improve internet access.
• GSMA says $40 phones could connect 20 million more Africans, while $30 devices could link 50 million.
• Rwanda’s 4G subscribers have surged tenfold under government reforms, connecting thousands of schools and health centres.
• Axian Telecom plans to expand 4G coverage to 95% of Africa’s population by 2027, backed by major international financing.

Speaking before over 4,000 participants from government, business, and technology sectors, the GSMA, representing six leading mobile operators, reiterated its call for African governments to remove import duties and value-added taxes on entry-level smartphones priced below $100.

“A smartphone is not a luxury – it is a lifeline to services, jobs, and opportunities in the digital economy,” GSMA Director General Vivek Badrinath told delegates in Kigali.

According to GSMA Intelligence, affordable smartphones could significantly expand connectivity. Devices priced around $40 could bring mobile internet to 20 million more people, while $30 phones could connect an additional 50 million in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The coalition has proposed new technical standards to guide manufacturers in producing reliable 4G smartphones that meet minimum quality requirements for memory, battery, display, and camera performance, all while keeping prices between $30 and $40.

Currently, taxes and import duties can add more than 30% to the final price of a smartphone in several African countries, further widening the digital divide.

The GSMA argues that removing these taxes would make a tangible difference in affordability and access, enabling millions to join the digital economy.

South Africa recently set a precedent by removing taxes on budget smartphones earlier this year, a move the GSMA says should inspire other governments across the continent.

Rwanda’s model of inclusion

Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovation, Paula Ingabire, shared how government reforms have rapidly transformed digital access in her country.

She revealed that Rwanda’s 4G subscriber base grew tenfold, from 500,000 in 2023 to 5 million by mid-2025, thanks to a mix of public-private partnerships and a new National Broadband Policy.

“Behind these numbers are real lives that have been transformed. With the 1 Million Coders programme, we are nurturing a generation ready to build Africa’s digital products of the future,” Ingabire said.

During the same period, MTN Rwanda launched 5G services, while the government expanded broadband access to 1,000 health facilities and 4,000 schools, training over 4 million citizens in digital literacy through its Digital Ambassadors Programme.

Rwanda’s experience, Ingabire noted, shows how connectivity can evolve from an infrastructure challenge to a human capital opportunity.

Private sector drive

Axian Telecom Group CEO Hassan Jaber announced plans to expand 4G coverage to 95% of Africa’s population by 2027, supported by major financing, including $100 million from the European Investment Bank and $160 million from the African Development Bank for projects in Madagascar and Tanzania.

He described Africa’s youth as the continent’s “greatest advantage,” predicting that the number of mobile subscribers would hit 700 million by 2030, with women driving much of the growth.

Yet, despite advances in coverage and policy, affordability remains the biggest barrier to universal digital access.

The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2025 Report found that more than 3 billion people worldwide live within mobile broadband range but remain offline, largely because they cannot afford smartphones.